Entrée: France – Filet Mignon aux Lardons et Sauce Madère (Tenderloin with Bacon and Madeira Sauce)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 12 min

Total 22 min

Ingredients

4 filet mignon medallions (4–5 oz / 115–140 g each)
4 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1 / 2 cup (120 ml) Madeira wine
3 / 4 cup (180 ml) beef stock
1 tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 small toasted croutons or rounds of toasted brioche (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook bacon lardons in a skillet until crisp; remove and drain, reserving fat. Season medallions with salt and pepper.
2. Sear medallions in reserved bacon fat and olive oil 2 minutes per side until browned; remove and keep warm.
3. Deglaze pan with Madeira, scraping brown bits, then add beef stock and reduce by half.
4. Whisk in butter to finish sauce, return bacon lardons to sauce, adjust seasoning.
5. Place each medallion on a toasted crouton if using, spoon sauce over and serve immediately.